Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department’s Request for input on potential UK measures in response to US tariffs, published on 3 April 2025, whether (a) lethal and (b) non-lethal police firearms are classified under CN8 code 93039000 as military weapons.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

We encourage responses to the request for input from all organisations that think their imports could be affected by any potential UK tariffs on a particular commodity code.

Lethal and non-lethal firearms under CN 93039000 are not classified as military weapons. Heading 9303 does not mention military weapons, military weapons are instead classified in the earlier headings, such as 9301 (9301 Military weapons, other than revolvers, pistols and the arms of heading 9307 (this heading covers semi-automatic firearms and rifles).

Organisations that have additional specific classification enquiries can be directed to the mailbox: classification.enquiries@hmrc.gov.uk

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Children's Wellbeing and School Bill on academies in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

The department published impact assessments on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill measures on GOV.UK. These include assessments of the impact on all types of school across the country.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to revise guidance issued to producers on obligations under the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The pEPR Scheme Administrator, working with the relevant UK regulator, will revise producer guidance, where appropriate, to assist them in understanding and meeting their obligations under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in employer National Insurance contributions on levels of wages in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the National Insurance Contributions Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.

The Office for Budget Responsibility also published an Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO) in October 2024, which set out the impacts of changes to Employer NICs, including the expected economic and labour market impacts.

The Government is providing support for departments and other public sector employers for additional employer NICs costs only. This funding is being allocated to departments, with the Barnett formula applying in the usual way.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in employer National Insurance contributions on public services in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the National Insurance Contributions Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.

The Office for Budget Responsibility also published an Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO) in October 2024, which set out the impacts of changes to Employer NICs, including the expected economic and labour market impacts.

The Government is providing support for departments and other public sector employers for additional employer NICs costs only. This funding is being allocated to departments, with the Barnett formula applying in the usual way.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increases in employer National Insurance contributions on levels of employment in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the National Insurance Contributions Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.

The Office for Budget Responsibility also published an Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO) in October 2024, which set out the impacts of changes to Employer NICs, including the expected economic and labour market impacts.

The Government is providing support for departments and other public sector employers for additional employer NICs costs only. This funding is being allocated to departments, with the Barnett formula applying in the usual way.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of trends in levels of taxation on working people in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the National Insurance Contributions Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.

The Office for Budget Responsibility also published an Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO) in October 2024, which set out the impacts of changes to Employer NICs, including the expected economic and labour market impacts.

The Government is providing support for departments and other public sector employers for additional employer NICs costs only. This funding is being allocated to departments, with the Barnett formula applying in the usual way.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including (a) nightclubs, (b) electronic music and (c) other contemporary night-time culture in (i) Cultural Sector Plans, (ii) Growth and Innovation Funds and (iii) other Government-funded schemes.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is working closely with the music and nightclub sectors, to strengthen the sustainability of the entire music ecosystem. Cultural venues, like nightclubs and music venues, provide enjoyment to many thousands of people as the opportunity to hear live music up close is an essential part of our cultural life.

We are continuing to support Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) Supporting Grassroots Music Fund by providing £2.5 million funding in 2025-26. This provides grants to grassroots music organisations, including those that host or promote electronic music.

Earlier this year we announced the Arts Everywhere Fund, a £270 million investment for arts venues, museums, libraries and the heritage sector, including the £85m Creative Foundations Fund. This fund will support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. Not-for-profit and grassroots music venues will be eligible, and Arts Council England will release more details in due course. We expect the fund may be over-subscribed, so are not intending to extend its scope.

Buildings that are nightclubs, music venues or other contemporary cultural spaces may already be considered for designation as Listed Buildings, where they meet eligibility criteria for special architectural or historic interest. For example, The Crown Hotel, Station Street, Birmingham was listed at grade II in 2024. The music venue has special historical interest for its importance in the 1960s folk music revival, and in the late 1960s as the venue where Black Sabbath created their sound which shaped a new internationally popular genre of music; heavy metal.

Applications for listing specific nightclubs, music venues or other contemporary cultural spaces can be made to the Secretary of State via Historic England.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) listing, (b) National Portfolio programmes and (c) other (i) heritage and (ii) community protection schemes include (A) nightclubs, (B) music venues and (C) other contemporary cultural spaces.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is working closely with the music and nightclub sectors, to strengthen the sustainability of the entire music ecosystem. Cultural venues, like nightclubs and music venues, provide enjoyment to many thousands of people as the opportunity to hear live music up close is an essential part of our cultural life.

We are continuing to support Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) Supporting Grassroots Music Fund by providing £2.5 million funding in 2025-26. This provides grants to grassroots music organisations, including those that host or promote electronic music.

Earlier this year we announced the Arts Everywhere Fund, a £270 million investment for arts venues, museums, libraries and the heritage sector, including the £85m Creative Foundations Fund. This fund will support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. Not-for-profit and grassroots music venues will be eligible, and Arts Council England will release more details in due course. We expect the fund may be over-subscribed, so are not intending to extend its scope.

Buildings that are nightclubs, music venues or other contemporary cultural spaces may already be considered for designation as Listed Buildings, where they meet eligibility criteria for special architectural or historic interest. For example, The Crown Hotel, Station Street, Birmingham was listed at grade II in 2024. The music venue has special historical interest for its importance in the 1960s folk music revival, and in the late 1960s as the venue where Black Sabbath created their sound which shaped a new internationally popular genre of music; heavy metal.

Applications for listing specific nightclubs, music venues or other contemporary cultural spaces can be made to the Secretary of State via Historic England.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of modernising (a) heritage and (b) community protection schemes to include (i) nightclubs and (ii) grassroots music venues.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is working closely with the music and nightclub sectors, to strengthen the sustainability of the entire music ecosystem. Cultural venues, like nightclubs and music venues, provide enjoyment to many thousands of people as the opportunity to hear live music up close is an essential part of our cultural life.

We are continuing to support Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) Supporting Grassroots Music Fund by providing £2.5 million funding in 2025-26. This provides grants to grassroots music organisations, including those that host or promote electronic music.

Earlier this year we announced the Arts Everywhere Fund, a £270 million investment for arts venues, museums, libraries and the heritage sector, including the £85m Creative Foundations Fund. This fund will support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. Not-for-profit and grassroots music venues will be eligible, and Arts Council England will release more details in due course. We expect the fund may be over-subscribed, so are not intending to extend its scope.

Buildings that are nightclubs, music venues or other contemporary cultural spaces may already be considered for designation as Listed Buildings, where they meet eligibility criteria for special architectural or historic interest. For example, The Crown Hotel, Station Street, Birmingham was listed at grade II in 2024. The music venue has special historical interest for its importance in the 1960s folk music revival, and in the late 1960s as the venue where Black Sabbath created their sound which shaped a new internationally popular genre of music; heavy metal.

Applications for listing specific nightclubs, music venues or other contemporary cultural spaces can be made to the Secretary of State via Historic England.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will extend the Arts Everywhere Fund to include (a) nightclubs, (b) electronic music and (c) other core contemporary culture.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is working closely with the music and nightclub sectors, to strengthen the sustainability of the entire music ecosystem. Cultural venues, like nightclubs and music venues, provide enjoyment to many thousands of people as the opportunity to hear live music up close is an essential part of our cultural life.

We are continuing to support Arts Council England’s (ACE’s) Supporting Grassroots Music Fund by providing £2.5 million funding in 2025-26. This provides grants to grassroots music organisations, including those that host or promote electronic music.

Earlier this year we announced the Arts Everywhere Fund, a £270 million investment for arts venues, museums, libraries and the heritage sector, including the £85m Creative Foundations Fund. This fund will support arts and cultural organisations across England to resolve urgent issues with their estates. Not-for-profit and grassroots music venues will be eligible, and Arts Council England will release more details in due course. We expect the fund may be over-subscribed, so are not intending to extend its scope.

Buildings that are nightclubs, music venues or other contemporary cultural spaces may already be considered for designation as Listed Buildings, where they meet eligibility criteria for special architectural or historic interest. For example, The Crown Hotel, Station Street, Birmingham was listed at grade II in 2024. The music venue has special historical interest for its importance in the 1960s folk music revival, and in the late 1960s as the venue where Black Sabbath created their sound which shaped a new internationally popular genre of music; heavy metal.

Applications for listing specific nightclubs, music venues or other contemporary cultural spaces can be made to the Secretary of State via Historic England.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of potential impact of the Spring Statement 2025 on levels of employment in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government is committed to helping people start or stay in work, while protecting those who cannot work due to ill health. At Spring Statement 2025, as part of the Pathways to Work Green Paper, the Chancellor announced investment from 2026-27 in crucial employment, health, and skills support of up to an additional £1 billion a year by 2029-30.

Additionally, in November the government published the Get Britain Working White Paper, backed by £240m funding, which set out its strategy to tackle the root causes of economic inactivity, support people into good work and help people progress in work.

The Office for Budget Responsibility’s March 2025 forecast expects that unemployment will remain low by historical standards. In line with its mandate as set out in law, the OBR does not produce forecasts at a sub-national level.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support the hospitality industry in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Hospitality businesses are at the heart of our communities and play a vital role in supporting economic growth across the UK.

The Government recently launched a licensing taskforce to reduce red tape and barriers that too often hold businesses back and intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a rateable value less than £500,000

Additionally, we recently announced a £1.5 million Hospitality Support Scheme to co-fund projects that align with Department of Business & Trade and Hospitality Sector Council Priorities. I am working with Council Members to maximise the benefits of this funding.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many affordable homes she plans to provide in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire this Parliament.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department published an update on targets in the 2021-26 Programme on 30 July 2024 which can be found on gov.uk here.

At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 March 2025 (HCWS549).

The investment made at Spring statement follows the £800 million in new in-year funding which has been made available for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme and that will support the delivery of up to 7,800 new homes, with more than half of them being Social Rent homes.

Exact funding to different places and the locations of homes that will be built will depend on the bids received from local authorities and housing associations. The government encourages social housing providers in all areas to come forward with bids for new ambitious projects, including those ready to commence quickly.

We will set out set details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she plans to take to support housebuilding in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government’s Plan for Change includes a hugely ambitious milestone of building 1.5 million new homes in England in this Parliament.

We have already taken decisive steps to increase housing supply including publishing a revised National Planning Policy Framework and introducing a Planning and Infrastructure Bill that will streamline the delivery of new homes.

Our New Homes Accelerator will unblock and accelerate the delivery of housing developments that have for various reasons become delayed, or which are not progressing as quickly as they could be.

At Spring statement, the government announced an immediate injection of £2 billion to support delivery of the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation and contribute to our ambitious Plan for Change milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in this Parliament. Further detail can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 25 March 2025 (HCWS549).

The investment made at Spring statement follows the £800 million in new in-year funding which has been made available for the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme and that will support the delivery of up to 7,800 new homes, with more than half of them being Social Rent homes.

We will set out set details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review. This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for social rent.

We also confirmed a range of new flexibilities for councils and housing associations, both within the Affordable Homes Programme and in relation to how councils can use their Right to Buy receipts. Having reduced Right to Buy discounts to their pre-2012 regional levels, we have allowed councils to retain 100% of the receipts generated by Right to Buy sales.

The government recognise that Registered Providers need support to build their capacity and make a greater contribution to affordable housing supply. Between 30 October 2024 and 23 December 2024, the government consulted on a new 5-year social housing rent settlement, to give Registered Providers the certainty they need to invest in new social and affordable housing.

In Lancashire and Fylde, and across the country, we are engaging closely with industry, including developers, housing associations and local authorities to build more houses. Blackpool has received £90 million of capital funding from Homes England for the first phase of housing regeneration in the city. This investment will create high quality homes and regenerate the town centre.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Clean Heat Market Mechanism on the cost of installing new gas boilers for people in Fylde.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Clean Heat Market Mechanism does not require any change in the price of fossil fuel boilers.

The Government took steps before introducing the scheme to revise the 2023 proposals in order to reduce impacts on boiler manufacturers and provide them more time to scale up supply chains.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Climate Change Committee’s Seventh Carbon Budge on (a) his Department's policies and (b) people in Fylde constituency.

Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The actual costs of delivering the Seventh Carbon Budget will be determined by the choices that government makes. The costs and funding scenarios set out in the CCC’s Seventh Carbon Budget report are illustrative and do not represent government policy and Government is not bound to accept their recommendations. We will set the level of Carbon Budget 7 by June 2026, in line with our statutory duties.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of energy costs on business in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently.

The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy with less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030.

In the short-term, the Government wants to provide businesses with better protection from being locked into unfair and expensive energy contracts, and more redress when they have a complaint. Last year, the Government launched a consultation on introducing regulation of Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs), such as energy brokers. This is aimed at enhancing consumer protections, particularly for non-domestic consumers.

The consultation has now closed, and a Government response will follow in due course once all feedback has been reviewed.

There is support in place through the British Industry Supercharger to reduce the cumulative impact of energy and climate change policies on industrial electricity prices for eligible energy intensive industries (EIIs), including compensation for indirect emission costs of the UK ETS and Carbon Price Support and reductions in the indirect cost due to the Contracts for Difference, Renewables Obligation and small-scale feed-in-tariffs.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce household energy bills in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently.

The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy and have less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030. This, combined with our Warm Homes Plan to upgrade millions of homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run is how we will drive down energy bills and make cold homes a thing of the past.

We recognise that we need to support households struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power by 2030. This is why we are delivering the Warm Home Discount to around 3 million eligible low-income households this winter. In February, we published a consultation on the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, giving more eligible households £150 off their energy bills. These proposals would bring around 2.7 million households into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to around 6 million.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce industrial electricity prices in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently.

The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy with less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030.

The Government recognises that one of the barriers to industrial electrification is that electricity is significantly more expensive than gas. We also recognise that the UK’s industrial electricity costs are currently higher than those of our competitors, which partly reflects how the costs of the electricity system are distributed across households and industrial customers.

There is support in place through the British Industry Supercharger to reduce the cumulative impact of energy and climate change policies on industrial electricity prices for eligible energy intensive industries (EIIs), including compensation for indirect emission costs of the UK ETS and Carbon Price Support and reductions in the indirect cost due to the Contracts for Difference, Renewables Obligation and small-scale feed-in-tariffs.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the creation of Great British Energy on household energy bills in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

In an unstable world, the only way to guarantee energy security and protect billpayers is to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. That is why government has a mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.

We have a sustainable, long-term plan to protect all UK billpayers, including the people of Fylde and Lancashire, from volatile international gas markets. Backed by £8.3 billion, Great British Energy is part of this plan, driving the deployment of the clean, homegrown energy we need to boost our energy independence. As a publicly-owned company, Great British Energy will ensure UK taxpayers, billpayers, and communities reap the benefits of this.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to include local people in discussions on development in (a) Fylde and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government acknowledges the importance of engaging local communities in the planning process.

National planning policy and planning practice guidance is clear that when developing their local plan, local planning authorities should consult their local communities and ensure views are taken into account.

The guidance also makes clear that local planning authorities must publicise planning applications for a minimum of 21 days and must take any material matters raised into consideration when making a decision on the application.

As set out in the government’s response to plan-making reforms: consultation on implementation, which can be found on gov.uk here, we are committed to improving community engagement in plan-making. This will result in a more democratic plan-led system with planning decisions and local plans being informed by a larger and more diverse range of community views.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has decided whether to procure additional Typhoon fighter jets.

Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Fylde (Andrew Snowden) on 4 March 2025 for Question 34040.